Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

Ad While caring for their pa- tients, dental and health care professionals are constantly exposed to bodily fluids that may carry viruses and other in- fectious agents. It is therefore critical that the gloves these professionals use provide the best possible barrier pro- tection. Many types of gloves are available today, but it is impor- tant to know that not all gloves have the same barrier capability, depending on the type of material used. For ex- ample, natural rubber latex gloves have long been acknowledged for their very effective barrier properties, while non- latex gloves, such as vinyl (polyvinyl chloride), have inferior barrier capabil- ity as shown by numerous studies. Other synthetic gloves, such as ni- trile and polyisoprene, perform much better than vinyl but are more costly, especially polyisoprene gloves. Using gloves with inferior barrier capability could expose both the patient and user to harmful infections. Quality, safety top priorities Malaysia is the world’s largest medi- cal gloves exporter (latex and nitrile). Both quality and users’ safety are of top priority to the nation’s glove industry. To this end, a quality certification pro- gram (the Standard Malaysian Gloves, or the SMG) has currently been formu- lated for latex examination gloves. All SMG-certified gloves must comply with stringent technical specifications to ensure the gloves are high in barrier effectiveness, low in protein and low in allergy risks, in addition to having excellent comfort, fit and durability — qualities that manufacturers of many synthetic gloves are trying to replicate. Natural, sustainable resource Latex gloves are green products, de- rived from a natural and sustainable resource, and are environmentally friendly. (You can learn more online by visiting www.smg-gloves.com or www. latexglove.info). The use of low-protein, powder-free gloves has been demonstrated by many independent hospital studies to vastly reduce the incidence of latex sensiti- zation and allergic reactions in work- places. More importantly, latex allergic in- dividuals donning non-latex gloves can now work alongside their cowork- ers wearing the improved low-protein gloves without any heightened allergy concern. However, for latex-allergic individu- als, it is still important they use appro- priate non-latex gloves, such as quality nitrile and polyisoprene gloves, that provide them with effective barrier protection. Extensive array of brand, prices Selecting the right gloves should be an educated consideration to enhance safety of both patients and users. For decades, gloves made in Malaysia have been synonymous with quality and ex- cellence, and they are widely available in an extensive array of brands, fea- tures and prices. They can be sourced either factory direct (www.mrepc.com/trade and click “medical devices”) or from established dental product distributors in the Unit- ed States. (Source: Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council) Barrier protection is critical in dental professionals’ gloves Main purpose is enhanced safety of both patients and users a20 Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | February 2014 Industry News Chicago BOOTH NO. 432